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Jan. l, 1924 1,479,438 G. H. WENDE CURRENT MOTOR Filed April 17 1.922

-Ftented Jan. l, 1924.

nais smi" GOTTFRIED H. WENDE, (JF BFFALQ. YORK.

CURRENT IYIOTOR.

Application filed April 17, 1922. Serial N0.f553,991.

To all 107mm t may Gomera.'

Be it known that I, Go'rrralnn H. VENDE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State' of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in urrent Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a motoirwhich is operated by the current of a stream or other moving fluid, such as gas or air, and more particularly'to the type having feathering blades or paddles.

Its object is to improve the means for automatically turning the paddles into their effective or operative positions with a view of rendering the same simple and strong in construction and reliable in action.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a current motor embodying my improvements. Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof. Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the blades or paddles.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The working parts of the motor may be supported on a frame of any suitable construction, that shown inthe drawings consisting of longitudinal side rails 10, 10, and front and rear legs 11, 12.

13, 13 indicate ay pair of spaced belts or endless sprocket chains disposed side by side between the side rails 10. These chains pass around front and rear sprocket wheels 14 and 15, respectively, which are mounted on transverse shafts 16 and 17 journaled at their ends in suitable bearings mounted in said side rails. Disposed between these chains and pivoted thereto are a plurality of blades or paddles 18 which are adapted to fold in the plane of the chains or current when traveling against the latter and which are adapted to be projected or unfolded to a plane substantially atright angles to the chains or current when traveling in the opposite direction in which position they are presented squarely to the current for the purpose of driving the motor, in an obvious manner.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, these paddles are preferably located at equidistant intervals along the sprocket chains 13 and are hinged thereto to swing in a vertical plane. The paddles are preferably of such a length l flange 20. This change of position is that when traveling along the upper or re-l turn stretches of ,the sprocket chains their free edges overlap the hingededges of succeeding paddles so to ypass edgewisethrough the water or other moti-ve fluid and offer a minimum resistance. As the paddles `'pass from the upper stretches of the chains around the rear sprocketl wheel 1,5 to the advancing lower stretches thereof, they are` automatically and positively unfolded yto their projecting position, preferably by the 'following means :y

The knuckle or pivoted edge 18a of each paddle is provided with a pair of arms 19 which extend substantially at right angles to the plane of the paddle. Carried by one or both of the rear sprocketwheels 15 and Lrranged in the path of movement of one or both series of paddle arms 19 is a paddlel' tween said flange and the respective sprocket chain. In the folded position of the paddies, the trip arms 19 depend below the chains, so that as the paddles approach the rear sprocket wheels 15 they are successively elevated or unfolded-to their operative posi- Y tion by the respective arms riding over the 0'radual and starts the moment the paddle irms engage the end flange and continues until the paddles reach a position substantially radially of the sprocket wheels. Further' movement of each paddle inthe same direction is prevented by its arms 19 abutting against the inner sides of the next succeeding paddle-knuckle, as shown in Fig. 3. By this arrangement, the paddles are automatically extended to their operative position in which they are presented broadsideV to the current, thus driving the shafts 16, 17, from which the motive power is transmitted to any desired machinery or apparatus.

As the paddles ascend on the front sprocket wheels, they swing by the force of the current or by gravity to the folded position shown at the upper side of Fig. 1. Y 1

In the preferred arrangement shown, the motor is arranged in a forwardly inclined position to dispose the paddles instepped relation, therebjT presenting a maximum paddle area to the current and obtaining the highest efficiency.

ranged to engage and ride over said flange.

2. A current motor, comprising supporting Wheels, an endless belt passing around said Wheels, a paddle-unfolding device substantially concentric With one of said Wheels, and feathering paddles hinged to said'belt and each provided at its hinged edge with a trip arin, arranged substantially at right angles to the paddle, said trip arms being arranged to engage saidpaddleun folding device in traveling in one direction and to overlap and abut against the inner hinged portions of the succeeding paddles in traveling in the opposite direction to prevent folding of the latter in s uch direction.

3. A current motor, comprising supporting Wheels, an endless belt passing around said Wheels, one of said Wheels being provided ivith an annular flange projecting from its side, and paddles hinged to said belt and provided at their hinged edges with trip Yarms arranged substantially at right angles thereto, each paddle arin being arranged to'engage said liange for swinging said paddles from their folded to their iin- 

